ALL PHOTOS BY SCOTT SWANEY:

Within the forefront of cave exploration, physical and mental toughness is enduring to seek the resolve of the objective. Hard work and effort can be put in a optimistic discovery and render nothing more than a blind wall or a marmalled rat scat wall.  

The leads that were checked was very much so a effort in the Barron high desert in 100 degree heat.  Hiking in the heat while stashing water was essential to our successful execution of the objective.  Our aim was to the southeast tip of the massif where multiple " holes" were spotted in the wall. We each had around 60 to 75 lbs in our packs. We stashed a lot of our equipment at a checkpoint which included an extra gallon of water each.  That proved to be a very good decision.

We made it half way across the ridge and I noticed a small opening in the rock. We moved the rock over and I was able to slip into the entrance which was about 7-8ft in height. there were a few small rooms around me that looked hypogenic in nature.  

A passage continued down to another level and yet another which opened up into a small room.  This room was about 20ft down from the entrance. There was a lot of rat scat and a few formations in the walls.  

Another room continued to go down another 10-15ft into a small room with a tiny exit. This room had some interesting mammaliaries and a few formations in the room. 

The cave appears to be a total depth of 40ft and a total length of 100ft.  Not a bad find in this area.  

We continued on and made our way up to the top of the ridge baking in the sun.  Finally we worked our way around to the objective site and found a small shelter cave where we could get some shade and rest a bit before rigging the drops. 

 I went ahead and rigged the drops than checked off the leads as I went by them.

 I flew the drone over to this location to check the leads before entering them and some of them appeared to be pretty good. Unfortunatly, after checking each lead, I was left with nothing more than holes in the wall packed with rat scat. 

 All of them were duds.  At least they are now checked off but it is a lot of effort with no reward when the leads do not go anywhere. Especially in this 100 degree heat.

 We de rigged and headed back to the top and across the massif and back down to our water stash which was a much needed survival check point for us. We decided to check the remaining leads in the wall the following day and get back to the car for some cold drinks and food.